This is the official Imperial Death Star Owner’s Technical Manual from Haynes, it’s 128 pages long and includes a wealth of information about the legendary starship, as well as fascinating cutaway illustrations, and in-depth information.
Haynes has done a whole series of owner’s manuals in this style, including manuals for the Millennium Falcon, Tie Fighter, Rebel Starfighters, and more. They make great reading, and good conversation pieces on the bookshelf or coffee table.
Above Video: This is the original clip from A New Hope (1977) showing the attack on the Death Star.
What Is The Death Star?
The Death Star is one of the most recognizable elements from the Star Wars universe, though descriptions seem unnecessary due to its fame (or infamy) – it’s essentially a giant space station with enough firepower to destroy a planet.
It was first introduced in A New Hope back in 1977, it quickly became the symbol of the Galactic Empire’s domineering grip on the galaxy. The Death Star played a central role in the original trilogy, representing both overwhelming evil and power as well as the flaw in that kind of total domination.
The first Death Star, officially named the “DS-1 Orbital Battle Station,” was huge starship – roughly 160 kilometers (100 miles) in diameter. It looked like a grey metal moon with a crater on one side – that crater housed its superlaser, a focused beam capable of obliterating a planet or moon in a matter of seconds.
The Empire used it to destroy Alderaan, Princess Leia’s home planet, as a way to send a message to the Rebellion and showcase the power of their new super weapon.
The origins of the Death Star go back further than the original trilogy lets on. In the (later) prequel films, we see early hints of its development during the Clone Wars, when the Separatists were first working on the concept.
Haynes has done a whole series of owner’s manuals in this style, including manuals for the Millennium Falcon, Tie Fighter, Rebel Starfighters, and more.
By the time the Empire took over, construction was well underway. Scientists like Galen Erso were forced to complete it under Imperial control, with Erso secretly building in a fatal flaw as an act of quiet resistance.
That flaw was a narrow exhaust port that led to the main reactor, it was discovered by the Rebel Alliance after stealing the station’s blueprints in Rogue One. This then set the stage for the famous trench run in A New Hope, where Luke Skywalker launched a proton torpedo into the port and triggered a chain reaction that destroyed the entire station.
The Empire didn’t learn its lesson. They started building a second Death Star, even larger and more powerful than the first. This is where I’ll leave off the story, as you likely know it already, and if you don’t know it then you mustn’t have seen the films and I don’t want to ruin it.
The Imperial Death Star Owner’s Technical Manual
The Imperial Death Star Owner’s Technical Manual was written and compiled by Ryder Windham, a prolific author who has completed over 80 books, including titles for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Transformers, and even LEGO. Additional input was provided by Chris Reiff and Chris Trevas.
This book is laid out like any other Haynes Owner’s Manual, with countless detailed cutaway illustrations, vehicle specifications, and other diagrams.
This book is laid out like any other Haynes Owner’s Manual, with countless detailed cutaway illustrations, vehicle specifications, and other diagrams. It is one of (if not the) most complete source of information about the Death Star, and it makes a great addition to any bookshelf.
It’s now available on Amazon in hardcover form here, with a 4.7 out of 5 rating from almost 300 reviews and counting.
Images provided by Haynes
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